SHAH ALAM: The #StandTogether Kindness Concert, an uplifting musical rally that called for a kinder Malaysia, was met with an overwhelming response.

Held on May 4, 2019, Malaysians of different backgrounds from across the nation came together to celebrate love and compassion.

According to the statement, Malaysia’s first-ever Kindness Concert held at the Setia City Convention 2 was organised by Star Media Group’s R.AGE team and property developer SP Setia. It was a culmination of the #StandTogether National Kindness Week movement.

It was an evening of musical excitement as top Malaysian acts such as rock band Kyoto Protocol, singer Man Bai, comedian Harith Iskander, singer Ismail Izzani, and indie band The Venopian Solitude and many more took to the stage to entertain the crowd.

Star Media Group group advisor Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai said, “We were inspired to do this concert by that great Martin Luther King Jr. quote “hate cannot drive out hate, only love can.

“What Malaysia needs right now is the courage to love and be kind, and that’s what everyone at the concert stood for today.”

SP Setia Foundation chairman Tan Sri Datuk Seri Dr Wan Mohd Zahid Mohd Noordin also said that SP Setia is genuinely proud to be able to initiate the kindness revolution that has created an impact on thousands of students all over the country.

“We thank everyone who has joined us to make the #StandTogether campaign a resounding success as we believe kindness is an important value that is synonymous with Humanity,” he said.

The event also featured inspiring speeches and meet-and-greet sessions from the #StandTogether campaign’s Kindness Ambassadors, such as Lisa Surihani, Jinnyboy, Arwind Kumar, Luqman Podolski, Chef Wan, and Sharifah Amani, who all took time to interact with fans before and after the concert.

The National Kindness Week movement this year saw thousands of students organise Kindness Projects in schools across the country. Highlighted at the concert were the 10 best and most inspiring projects through videos produced by the R.AGE team.

At the end of the event, two schools were selected for the top honour of the night (the title of Malaysia’s Kindest Schools). The winning schools were SK Taman Maluri, Kuala Lumpur and SMK Chung Hua (CF) in Miri, Sarawak.

The event culminated in a moving collective pledge, where the crowd lifted the #StandTogether “blue hashtag” symbol on their phones as a commitment to uplift Malaysia and the rest of the world through love and kindness.

Noordin added that SP Setia is happy to have touched so many lives, especially among young school children through the various programmes held at the schools.

“Let’s continue to make a conscious effort to promote kindness in everything that we do,” he added.

#StandTogether 2019 programme partners include the Ministry of Education, Unicef Malaysia, Digi and International Medical University, with support from Study Hub Asia, 100% Project, and Teach For Malaysia.